Melbourne (AFP)
Tottenham’s English coach, Australian Ange Postecoglou, is seeking to strengthen his team’s offensive front next season, while his priority will be making the decision whether or not to make the loan of German striker Timo Werner from Leipzig permanent.
Postecoglou led Tottenham to fifth place in the English Premier League, and thus participated in the European League, “Europa League”, in his first season with the North London team, and stressed that he needed to make several changes for the team to be ready for the new season.
Postecoglou said after a friendly match that his team lost to Newcastle on penalties in Australia: “There is no secret. You saw how we finished the season. We also lost Richarlison and Timo, and in general, we suffer from a deficiency in this area.”
He added: “We started last season with Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic and we were in good health on the front line, but as the season progressed, it became clear that we needed to strengthen this front.”
The coach, whose team lost its star striker, Harry Kane, who moved to Bayern Munich last season, explained: “We will also participate in Europe next season, and we will play a greater number of matches, and therefore we must strengthen our attack.”
Werner joined Spurs on loan during the winter transfer period last January and scored two goals in 14 matches before an injury ended his season.
Tottenham has the possibility of making the loan permanent, and the coach says in this regard: “Naturally, it depends on the negotiations between the two clubs and how Timo feels.”
He explained: “For my part, I am comfortable with this situation, and I leave the opportunity for others to find out what outcome will result from it.”
Postecoglou expressed his confidence that he will retain all of his players next season: “You can imagine that many things may happen quickly, but we have a plan and I am confident of it regarding the players arriving and leaving.”
One of the remaining players in Tottenham’s ranks is playmaker James Maddison, who was transferred last season from Leicester City.
Maddison believed that Tottenham could “achieve big things” under Postecoglou’s supervision, after working with him last season: “The first season in any project is always a challenge. We have witnessed ups and downs.”
He concluded: “In all honesty, I enjoy working with him, and I believe that we can achieve a lot.”
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